Kerala, India-based shrimp farmer, processor, and exporter King Infra Ventures is expanding into India's retail consumer market as part of its goal of becoming a “farm-to-fork” company.
The launch of its seafood retail business will center on its "King Fresh" range of seafood products, including cleaned, cut, packed, and chilled seafood packed in 250- and 500-gram tray packets. The King Infra product range will initially include tiger prawns, whiteleg shrimp, lobster, pomfret, kingfish, squid, and octopus, and the company said it plans to expand the line once it is established commercially. The official launch will take place in Bengaluru, in the southern state of Karnataka, on 25 December.
"The foray into the retail food market is part of the strategic vision of the company to be in every segment of value creation in the aquaculture and fisheries sector," Kings Infra Ventures Chairman and Managing Director Shaji Baby John said. "The Indian domestic market offers a huge opportunity for high-quality, protein-rich seafood. King Fresh offers freshly chilled or freshly frozen seafood sourced from own farms, aquaculture farmers, and cooperatives."
In the initial phase of its retail rollout, King Fresh will offer cleaned, cut, packed, and chilled seafood packed in 250- and 500-gram tray packets. The King Infra product range will initially include tiger prawns, whiteleg shrimp, lobster, pomfret, kingfish, squid, and octopus, with a plan to expand the line in future years. John said his company will apply rigid hygiene and safety standards to ensure product quality.
Notably, the company will for the first time introduce sushi-grade seafood in India, John said.
"Sushi-grade is considered as a gold standard for quality and hygiene in the case of seafood, with its concept of live-chilling process. We have mastered the process to cater to the export market and the same would be adopted for King Fresh," John said.
King Infra also plans to develop a unique marketing model never before seen in India's domestic market. And the company will open a food-delivery hub in Bangalore and launch mobile apps to facilitate business-to-business and business-to-customer transactions.
Kings Infra is publicly listed on India's Bombay Stock Exchange. It has pioneered development of semi-intensive aquaculture in India and has been one of India's top-producing seafood processors and exporters the last 40 years. The company has also partnered with academic institutions and multinational companies to develop AI and IoT-based solutions and concepts for precision aquaculture to increase its farms' output.
Photo courtesy of Kings Infra Ventures
